Forming paper clips



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Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORMING PAPER CLIPS Chite Shaw Lee, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 16, 1946, Serial No. 716,538

22 Claims. 1

This invention relates to forming paper clips of the conventional wire type having two looped ends at one end thereof and one at the opposite end thereof and two parallel straight runs at each side thereof including portions connecting the loops, the principal object being the provision of a method, and apparatus for carrying out the same, by means of which paper clips of the type described may be quickly, readily and economically manufactured.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a method of forming paper clips of the type described comprising the steps of moving a length of wire stock in a direction perpendicular to the length thereof continuously in one direction and bending the said wire through approximately 189 at consecutively different points in the length thereof to form a completed clip; the provision of a method as above described including the ste of backing up the length of wire against retrograde movement at the points of consecutive bending in the length thereof and eliminating the backing up effect at each point immediately upon the bending there effected; and the provision of a method as above described in which the wire is rigidly held at one end thereof for the bending operations, the bending operations are initiated adjacent that end of the wire most remote from said rigidly held end, and the points of bending occur in consecutively closer relation to said rigidly held end.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of apparatus of the type described including means for relatively moving a straight length or wire continuously in one direction with respect to a cooperating part, and members positioned to strike and form the wire consecutively at difierent points thereon during said relative movement; the provision of apparatus for fabricating wire into paper clips at high speed by providing a plurality of wire feeding stations within the length of a member continuously moving in the same direction; the provision of apparatus of the type described including reciprocable wire engaging means movable into and out of engagement with the wire during the forming operation; the provision of apparatus of the type described including means for continuously ieeding wire into the apparatus. forming the wire into clips, depositing the clips into boxes and then removing the boxes; the provision of apparatus of the type described including a rotatable carriage on which a length of wire is adapted to be deposited and formed in the manner stated; the

provision of apparatus of the type described in I which the carriage is provided with abutments adapted to back up the wire in its movement with the carriage and stationary forming means adapted to consecutively engage the said wire at different points in the length thereof during rotation thereof on said carriage; the provision of apparatus of the type described in which the abutments are carried by plungers reciprocable into and out of operative position during rotation of said carriage and bodily movable with said carriage; the provision of apparatus of the type described in which the forming means each comprise a striker member and a die member carried by the stationary part of the apparatus; the provision of apparatus of the type described in which the forming mechanism is made up in units applicable to and removable from the apparatus as such and each including a striker member and a rotatable die member; the provision of apparatus of the type described including means for continuously feeding wire to the forming portion of the machine and severing said wire at predetermined points in the length thereof to provide a length or stock for formation into a clip; and the provision of apparatus of the type described in. cluding a plurality of wire feeding and wire forming mechanisms each cooperable to form lengths of such wire into paper clips, and a common hopper means arranged to receive the clips from all of the forming means and to deliver the same to a common packaging portion on the machine.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the description which follows when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts wherever shown and wherein:

Figure 1 is a partially broken plan view of a machine for fabricating wire embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 as indicated in Fig. 1, with one of the wire-supporting brackets omitted;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1 to illustrate the main driving means of the machine of the present invention and a typical wire feeding station with the tumbling mechanism thereat partly sectioned to more clearly show the means for straightening the wire as the same is fed to the machine;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 to further illustrate the driving connection between the main driving means of Fig. 3 and the wire feeding means of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken sub- 3 stantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 to illustrate the means for driving the carton carrier of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 6-45 of Fig. 1 to show the rotatable carriage with the reciprocable plungers therein and illustrating the rollers of the plungers positioned on a cam track for effecting reciprocation thereof as the carriage rotates;

Fig. 7 is a grea ly enlarged plan view-eta portion of the apparatus included within the line 'l'1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 (Sheet No. 1) is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. l to illustrate a carton in the carton carrier;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. '7 and greatly Enlargedto show a wire receiving groove in the head plate of the machine for initially receiving wire from the feeding apparatus;

Fig. 10 (Sheet No. ,8) is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, partly broken, partially sectioned, plan view of a portion of the machine enclosed between the lines 10-40 of Fig. 6 to show a length of wire immediately after the same has been fed into the machine and before being cut off.

Fig. 11 (Sheet No. 7) is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H--H of Fig. 10 to illustrate means for returning a plunger to inoperative position;

Fig. 12 (Sheet No. 7) is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional View of that. portion of the machine shown in circle l2 of Fig. 11 for clearly illustrating the. means by which the wire is brought from a slot in the. head plate into position on the plungers;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged. fragmentary side view of the rotatable carriage. looking in the direction of the arrows I! of Fig. 10, showing the wire cutter in greater detail;

Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are fragmentary and moreor-less diagrammatic; plan views showing. various stages in the first forming operation;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary verticalsectional view taken on line ll-ll of Fig. 1 6 toshow the first plunger in inoperative position after the first forming operation is completed;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 18-48 of Fig. '7 to show a typical replaceable die member and strike member;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line "-49 of Fig. '7. showing a pawl engaging a ratchet onone 0f the typical die members for preventing rotation of the die after the wire has passed through the same;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19, showing the. pawl and ratchet illustrated in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2l-2l of Fig. 19 to more clearly illustrate the cross-sectional configuration of ,a typical die member and strike member;

Fig. 22, 23, and 24 are fragmentary, more-orless diagrammatic plan views. to show the stages of operation in the second forming operation;

Fig. 25 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on line 25-25 of Fig. 24, showing the second plunger in inoperative position after the second forming operation;

Figs. 26, 2'7 and 28' are fragmentary, more-orless diagrammatic plan views showing the final forming operation;

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 29-29 of Fig. 28 to show the posi- 4 tion of the innermost plunger immediately at the termination of the forming operation and before the plunger is withdrawn to inoperative position;

Fig. 30 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on line 3030 of Fig. 28 and showing the third plunger in inoperative position after the final forming operation;

Fig. 31 is a plan view of a finished paper clip made by the machine shown in .the preceding views.

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary plan view taken on a line corresponding to that on which Fig. 10 is taken, but only of that portion of the mechanism corresponding with that shown in the left hand part of Fig. 10, showing a modified form of construction;

Fig. 33 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33-33 of Fig. 32;

Fig. 34 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3434 of Fig. 32; and

Fig. 35 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 35-35 of Fig. 34.

The basic feature of the present invention resides in a method of forming paper clips of the character described by continuously relatively moving, with respect to cooperating parts. a length of wire stock in one direction approximately perpendicular to the length of the wire stock and bending said stock at consecutively different points in the length thereof during said continuous relative movement in one direction, to form a completed clip. In such bending it contemplates backing up the length of wire stock against retrograde movement at the points of bending and removing such backing up effect at each point as the bending at such point is completed. In apparatus for carrying out of such method the backing up of the wire is preferably carried out by abutment members arranged in backing up relation with respect to the wire at each point of bending, which abutment members are withdrawable at each point of bending as the bending at such point is completed. For the purpose of effecting the bending of the wire at each of such abutments the apparatus contemplates the use of forming means movable relative with respect to said abutments whereby to cooperate therewith to eifect bending of the wire about said abutments. Such apparatus preferably includes means for clampingly holding one end of the wire stock in fixed position with respect to its supporting member until the completion of the bending operation and then releasing the clamping effect to free the clip for discharge from the machine.

In the broader aspects of the invention it will be appreciated that whether the wire and the abutment means are stationary and the forming means moved, or whether the forming means are stationary and the wire and the abutment means move relative thereto. is more or less immaterial, the latter form of construction being generally preferred for mechanical reasons and therefore being incorporated in the embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings by way of illustration.

It will be further appreciated that whether the movable part of the machine, whether it be that part which carries the wire stock and the abutments or whether it be that part of the machine which carries the forming means, moves in a straight or circular path. is more or less immaterial. Here again. however, it is preferable for mechanical reasons that the two main relatively movable parts of the machine be rotatable with respect to each other and, accordingly, it is this form of apparatus that is illustrated in the drawings by way of illustration.

In the embodiment of the machine of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings by way of illustration, a base is provided to support the machine on a floor or other suitable supporting surface. The upper portion of the base, which is hollow, provides for housing oertain of the mechanism interiorly thereof, and at the top thereof there is provided a head plate around which are positioned a plurality of wire feeding means, each of which feeds a length of wire into a corresponding groove in the head plate. Thereafter, the inner end of the wire is moved downwardly and clamped to a rotating carrier, after which reciprocable wire-engaging means contact the wire remaining in th head slot, moving the same downwardly onto the rotating carriage. At or about the same instant, a cutter in the periphery of the carriage severs the wire thus held on the carriage and the severed length of wire is carried along to the forming means.

The forming means include strikers and rotatable dies depending from the lower surface of the head plate in consecutive sets, and fashion the wire into a clip as it successively engages the forming members. As each set of forming means is passed, one of the wire-engaging means retires to inoperative position, and when the clip is completed, it is thrown by centrifugal force into a hopper. From the hopper, the clips are delivered to cartons held by a carton carrier,

which moves in timed relation with the wire feeding means and rotating carrier, to move an empty carton into place as soon as the preceding one is filled.

As will hereinafter become more clear, one or any greater number of wire feeding stations may be ailixed to the periphery of the head plate, the limit of stations being determined solely by the size of the head plate and the size of the feeding stations, and in the present case there are shown three wire feeding stations by Way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Referrin to Figs. 1 and 2, a paper clip fabrieating machine I is illustrated as having a base which includes the legs l2 and an upper hollow housing portion l4 bolted to the legs 12. By means of the legs I2, the apparatus maybe supported on a floor of a shop, or on any other suitable supporting surface. The housing portion l4 contains certain of the apparatus interiorly thereof and, as may be seen most clearly in Fig. 3, a stationary head plate I5 is mounted in spaced relation to and above the top of the housing portion l4 by means of a plurality of spacer bars IS on which is formed an enlarged portion 20 adapted to rest upon the adjacent upper surface of the housing portion I4 and support the head plate It. The spacer bars I8 are rigidly fixed to th housing portion l4 and to the head plate 16 by means of bolts 22 which are threaded into the lower ends of the spacer bars and bear upon the washers 24 when the bolts are turned tight.

A plurality of wire feeding stations, generally indicated as 26, are positioned about the periphery of the head plate l5. In the present case, as stated in the foregoing, three wire feeding stations are shown by way of illustration and these are positioned about the head plate [6 in equally angularly spaced relation with respect to each other, and the wire cut-off point of each station,

as hereinafter will become more clear, is concen trically positioned with respect to the center 28 of the head plate l6 which is on the vertical axis of the machine. For purposes of simplifying design and positioning of the feeding stations 26 on the machine of the present invention, the head plate I5 is here shown as being annular in plan iew. Obviously, any plan form may be provided for the head plate It, depending upon the number of wire feeding stations to be mounted on such apparatus; the annular form providing for more readily positioning the same thereabout.

At each of the wire feeding stations, means are provided for supporting a reel or roll of wire 30. In the present case, each roll of wire 3|) is supported by means of a bracket 32 which is attached to the housing l4 and provides the outwardly directed arms 34 on opposed sides thereof between which a spindle 36 extends to rotatably support the roll of wire 30.

Inasmuch as each of the wire feeding means is identical, only one is hereinafter described. Thus. at each of the wire feeding stations 26, a pair of housings 3B and 4?! (Fig. 1), radially spaced from one another with respect to the axis of the machine, are provided. The housings 3B and 40 are hollow interiorly and serve to cover driving mechanism, later to be explained, for driving Wire feeding rollers.

As may be seen best in Fig. 4, the housing 38 provides a bearing supporting portion 42, substantially perpendicular to one face thereof, in which a shaft 44 is journaled for rotation upon bearings 46 and 43 positioned in portion 42 at opposite ends of said shaft. In a similar manner, the housing 43 journals a shaft 50 (see Fig. 3) for rotation in an outwardly directed projection 52 of that housing. On the outer ends of each of the shafts 44 and 50, respectively, as best shown in Fig. 3, a wire feeding roller 54 is fixed. The wire feeding rollers are peripherally grooved at 56 and the wire 30 is forcibly held in each thereof by a pressure roller 58. Each roller 58 is mounted directly above its corresponding feed roller 54 and each is peripherally grooved as at EU, in com plementary relation to th peripheral section of the corresponding feed roller for reception of the periphery of the latter therein. The pressure rollers 60 may be adjusted to vary the pressure on the wire 30 holding it in the groove 56.

To mount the rollers 58, and as best shown in Fig. 4, a shaft 62 is positioned in overlying, substantially parallel relationship to shaft 44. The shaft 62 is journaled for rotation in bearings 64 and 66 carried by a housing 67 which in turn is supported for arcuate adjustment by means of a radially extending arm 68 (Fig. 1) about a horizontally directed post if} midway between the axes of rotation of shafts 44 and 50. In like manner, a shaft (2 (Fig. 3), positioned in overlying, substantially parallel relationship to shaft 50 is journaled for rotation within a housing 14 having a radially extending arm 16 (Fig. l) to support the same for arcuate adjustment about the post I0. Thus, the grooves 56 provide for positively holding the wire 30 in position between the pressure rollers 58 and the feed rollers 54 and the latter drive the same as the shafts 44 and 50 are rotated by the driving mechanism of the apparatus.

The pressure of the feeding rollers 58 may be varied by means of nuts 80 (Fig. 4) which are adjacent the housings 61 and 14, respectively. The nuts 80 are threaded onto upwardly directed bolts 82 which pass through openings provided therefior in arms 68 and I6 adjacent the-housings 6'2 and i4 and press upon a washer 04 mounted upon a spring 86 which encircles the bolts 02. By. turning the nuts 00, the pressure or the rollers 58 on the wire 30 may be varied. After adjusting the pressure of the rollers .in this manner, the adjustment nut 80 is locked in the adjusted position by means of a lock nut '01.

To straighten the wire as the same is fed, a wire straightener is positioned between the rollers just described. Considering the broader aspects of the present invention, thewire straightening means may be of any type so long as it provides for delivering straight wire for feeding into the head plate I6. In the case shown, and as best brought out in Fig. 3, the wire straightener comprises a tumbler 88 journaied 'forrotation upon shafts 90 and 92 thereof in bearings 94, 96, and 98 provided in a bearing support I and a housing I02. The tumbler B6 is rotated in timed relation to the rotation of the wire feeding rollers 54 and has adjustable wire straightenlng means in the form of radially directed plungers I 04 which are positioned in sets of three at opposite ends of the tumbler 08 so that the rollers I06 journaled on the inner ends thereof engage the wire 30. In each set of plungers Hi4, one of the rollers I06 is spaced intermediate the other two rollers I06 and presses in an opposite direction so that a stress reversal occurs in the fibers of the wire to accomplish straightening of the same in a conventional manner.

The plungers I04 are provided at their outer ends with a shank I08 adapted to extend slightly through the periphery of the tumbler 88 and have a nut III] threaded thereon for holding the plungers in position. As was stated previously, the plungers are arranged in sets of three at opposite ends of the tumbler 00, and as may be seen in Fig. 3, the sets are positioned so that one set lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the set at the other end of the tumbler. Thus, as the wire is fed by the first set of wire feeding rollers it passes through the tumbler 68 where it is engaged by the two sets of plungers which effect straightening of the wire before the same passes into and through the second set of feeding and pressure rollers, resulting in a straight length of wire being fed into the head plate I6. Preferably, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the wire 30 after being withdrawn from the rolls and before it is introduced into the straightening apparatus above described. is passed through a die structure, indicated generally at II2, suitably fixed with respect to the stationary part of the machine. The die structure H2, which is somewhat similar to a wire drawing die, serves to eliminate the greater part of the curl of the wire, resulting .from being wound in a roll, before the wire enters the final straightening operation.

The feeding apparatus described in the foregoing feeds the wire 30 through-a die II6 into a groove I18 in the lower surface of the plate l6 as best brought out in Figs. 9 and 10. As indicated in Fig. '7 the groove H0 is approximately radial of the axis of the rotatable carrlage, but is somewhat offset from a true radial position as shown. The die I I6 is retained within a die block I26 fixed to the periphery of the head plate I6 and an opening I2I (Fig. 10) in the die H6 is positioned to be in line with the groove IIB formed in the lower surface of the head'plate 16. Thus, the wire is guided by 8 the die H6 into the groove H0 as it moves into such groove.

To provide ior'severiug the wire after it is fed into full depth of the slot H6 and thereafter fashioning it .into a paper clip, a rotatable carriage or head I22 is mounted below the head plate It and spaced slightly therefrom for rotation relative thereto.

As may be seen best in Fig. 6, the rotatable carriage or head I22 is keyed at I24 to a shaft I26 journaled for rotation in bearings I; I80, and I32 housed in the head plate It and the housing I4 on the axis of the machine. A nut I 34, threaded on the upper end of the shaft I26, is turned tightly against the upper surface of the carriage or head I22 to hold a. shoulder portion I33 formed on the lower surface of the carriage I22 into abutting relationship with a collar I38 on the shaft I26 which in turn bears upon the bearing I80. Near the lower end of the shaft I26, an integral flange I40 is formed thereon and a pair of bevel gears I42 and I43 are positioned one above the other on the shaft I26 in abutting relationship with the flange I40. The gears I42 and I43 are held in spaced relationship with respect to the bearing I30 by means of a shouldered collar I44 which carries the inner race of the bearing I30 and when the nut I34 is tightened, the carriage I22 is held against axial movement. As will be observed in Fig. 6, the gear I43 is a composite gear comprising a hub and a ring bolted thereto. The gear I03, as will later be described, engages driving means to accomplish rotation of carriage When the wire is fully fed into the groove I16 in the head plate I6, means are provided to move the same into position on the carriage I22 and clampingly hold the same thereon. For this purpose, and as brought out in Fig. 6, in-line plungers I48, I50 and I52, arranged with their axes in a plane approximately including the axis of the shaft I26. are mounted in the rotatable carriage I22 in parallel relation to the axis of the shaft I26. As indicated in Figs. 22, 23, and 24, these plungers are of rectangular crosssectional configuration. On the lower ends of the plungers, rollers I54, I56, and I58, respectively, are rotatably mounted and are in cooperative engagement with the surfaces of cam tracks I60, I62. and I64, respectively. The cam tracks are annular in form, concentric with the axis of the shaft I26, and the upper surface of each has rises and valleys, and the plungers move to and from operative position as the rollers thereof follow the cam tracks in rotating with the carriage I22.

Thus, after the wire 30 is fed into full depth in the slot H8, rotation of the carriage I22 brings a holding member I10 (Figs. 6, 25 and 30) into engagement with the inner end of the wire. The holding member I10 is mounted on the carriage I22 adjacent to the innermost plunger I52 to travel in a circular path in a groove I12 formed in the head plate I6. An end of the holding member I10 extends in overlying relationship to a portion of the plunger I52 and in the lower surface of such end a slot III is milled. As will hereinafter become clear, the dimensions of the slot Ill are such that in the final forming operation, which completes the fashioning of a paper clip, clearance is provided to accomplish bending of the wire at that time without interference between the same and the walls defining said slot and thereafter upon release of the finished clip, by retraction of the plunger I52, allowing said clip to be freely thrown from the slot by centrifugal force.

To accomplish holding of the innermost end of the wire 30 by the holding element I10, the overlying end of the member I18, as may be seen in Fig. 29, is provided with a rearwardly sloping leading end I14. It is this leading end I14 which initially engages the innermost end of the wire when the same is fully in the groove H8 in the head plate I6. Such innermost end of the wire is not lying in the groove II8 but is projected beyond the inner end thereof into the circular groove I12 in the head plate IS in which the holding member I18 rotates, and is therefore in a position to be engaged and moved downwardly by the leading edge I14 of the holding member I16. Then, as rotation of the carriage I22 continues, the innermost end of the wire is caused to travel downwardly along the surface of the leading edge I14 on the holding member I18 until it enters a groove I15, extending radially of the axis of the shaft I26, in the upper surface of the plunger I52 (see Figs. 25 and 29). The groove I15 is provided by milling the upper end of the plunger I52 to provide stepped horizontal surfaces I16 and I11, the latter of which is flush with the upper surface of the carriage I22 when the plunger I52 is in raised position. The surfaces I16 and I11 are separated by an upwardly directed shoulder, extending transversely of the direction of rotation of the carriage I22. A blade-like abutment member I18 is fixed in the upper end of the plunger I52 with the plane of its thickness vertical and parallel to and spaced from the above mentioned shoulder. The spacing of such shoulder and the abutment I18 is equal to the diameter of the wire 38 as shown in Fig. 29. The opposed lower face of the holding member I16 where it engages the wire 30 in the groove I15 is recessed for complementary engagement with the wire 38, as shown in Fig. 29, to more securely hold the wire 39 in such position. The bottom of the groove I15, thus formed, is actually a part of the surface I11 and therefor lies in the plane of the upper surface of the carriage I22, when the plunger is in its uppermost position.

At the time the innermost end of the wire 30 enters the groove I15 in the plunger I52, plungers I48, I50, and I52 are raised to uppermost position by the rotation of the carriage I22 and the co-operating cam tracks. As may be seen in Fig. 29 (sheet 11) the innermost end of the wire is then disposed in groove I15 at the level of the upper surface of the carriage I22 and there clampingly held against the lower face of the holding member I'II) by the plunger I52.

Obviously, if the plunger I52 is to accomplish clamping of the wire 38, provision must be made for handling wire that is either slightly undersized or oversized. For this reason, the plunger I52, as brought out in Figs. and 30, consists of upper member I52a and a lower member I521) bolted thereto and spaced therefrom for slidable movement toward and away from the upper member to compensate for variations in wire size. In the broader aspects of the invention, any means may be employed tending to maintain the spaced relation of members I52a and I52b so long as that means provides for rapid adjustment and allows the plunger to positively engage the wire.

In the present case, a block of rubber I19, shown in Fig. 25, is inserted between the members and serves to resiliently and constantly urge the members apart While allowing the plunger I52 to clampingly hold the wire 38 with sufilcient rigidity for the forming operations to be performed thereon.

At the same time that the plunger I52 is raised to clamp the inner end of the wire 39 against the stop member I10, wire engaging means or abutments I88, I8I and I82, formed on the upper ends of the plungers I48, I58 and I52, respectively, turn into engagement with the wire along with the wire cutting portion of the apparatus, and the latter acts to sever the wire 36 at the periphery of thecarrier I22. The wire cutting portion of the apparatus comprises as many units as there are wire feeding stations, and these units are equally angularly spaced about the periphery of and are carried by the carrier I22.

Each wire cutting unit comprises, as best shown in Figures 10 and 13 (Sheet No. 8), a mounting member I83 removably secured in a complementary recess in the periphery of the carrier I22 by screws I84 and having an outer face flush with and forming a continuation of the peripheral surface of the carrier I22. Midway between its ends the mounting member I83 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined recess I85, the rear edge of which is inwardly and rearwardly beveled or inclined and the bottom or inner wall of which is stepped. A cutter member I86 of dove-tail cross section is received in the shallow rear portion of the recess I in complementary engagement with the beveled surface thereof and is releasably secured therein by a clamping and wedge block I81 removably secured in the deeper portion of the recess I85 by screws I88. The cutter member I88 is provided at its upper end with a cutting end or point I89 which projects above the upper face of the carrier I22, the lower outer marginal edge of the head plate I6 being relieved as at I90 to provide clearance therefor. The point I89 is of a shearing type rather than a knife blade type and therefor has an appreciable thickness. Accordingly, inasmuch as the inward feed of the inner end of the wire 38 stops as soon as it is severed by the point I89, means must be provided for its outer end to move out of the way of the point I 89 as the latter rotates past it. This is accomplished by bevellng the point I89 rearwardly and providing a notch I9I (Fig. 13) in line with each groove H8 at the radially outer end of the latter. Each notch I9I provides clearance for passage of the radially outer end of the wire 38 over the point I89 where it is pushed, after severance, due to the angle of the point I89. An arm I92 fixed to each member I93 is provided with an end which projects below the cutter member I86 and threadably receives a screw I93 arranged with its axis parallel to the direction of movement of the cutter member I86 and which abuts the lower end of the cutter member I86. The screw I93 provides for adjustment of the cutter member I86 when the screws I88 are loosened. It also serves as an abutment to limit downward movement of the cutter member I86 during operation. It will be appreciated that each unit including the mounting member I88, the cutter member I86, the clamping and wedge block I81, arm I92 and screw I93 form a unitary assemblage applicable to and removable from the carrier I22 as such.

The cutting point I89 of the cutter member I86 is arranged with its cutting edge flush with the periphery of the carrier I22 and in a position 75 to substantially rub the inner face of the die II6 asthacarrier I22 rotates relative to the latter. andaduring rotation past the die severs that portionvaa of the wire 30 which has been projected inwardly from the coil beyond the die I I6 so that such severed portion of the wire'may thereafter travel. around 'with the carrier I22. The plunger I52 aictsto'clamp the inner end of the wire 38 to the-holding member I10 at substantially the same'instant that the point I09 severs the wire and therefore causes the severed end of the wire to thereafter turn with the carrier I22. The radially outer end of the severed portion 30a of the-wire is still lyingrin the groove II8 when the last-:mentioned rotation is initiated and must, of course; be brought out Of the groove III! to enaboe it totravel around with the carrier I22. This=is accomplished by beveling the forward wall of the groove IIII, as illustrated at I94 in Fig. 9, so"that the projections or abutments I8l and I82 011115228: plungers I48 and I50, in engaging the outer: end of the wire 30a, cause it to ride down thecinclined wall I04 to just below the lower face ofdahe'head' 86 where it is free to rotate with the carrier-I22... The abutments IOI and I82 effect such result because they travel, when such plungers* are in upwardly projected position, in commomentary, grooves I95 and I96 (see Fig. 17) formed-'inthelower face of the head plate I6, and whichigrooves extend above the upper limits of thezgroo've H0; The outer.end of the wire 30a iizrriciiilzlg down the wall I84 is in contact with the forward faces of the abutments I8I and IE2, and the: corresponding phmgers I48 and I50 are providedwith transverse grooves I81 and I80, respeotivelmextending in the direction of the length, ofthe wire 30a immediately in advance of such abutments (see Figs. 11 and 12, Sheet No. '7). in which the corresponding portions of the wire silo are received and held at the same level as the inner end thereof'isheld by the plunger I52. Only the groove I81 in the plunger I48 is shown in- Figsll and-12; butboth are indicated by dotted. lines in Fig. 17. Thereafter, continued rota-time. of the carriage or carrier I22 delivers the ware-10cc to'forming units to accomplish fashioning of thewire-into a clip.

In Fig.4, it'may" be seen that in the vicinity 04? each of thewire feeding stations 26, and grooves H0; a-series of'wl re forming units are locatedas indicated by the numerals I99, 200, and

20!. Each of the forming units is removsbly positioned-in the head plate I6 and provides means depending from the lower surface of the madpiate lfi forfashionmg the wire into a paper cliiiz'asthe same is brought into engagement therewith byv means of the rotating carriage I22.

Inasmuch as each of the forming units is substantiaily identical, only one is described, and in Fig. 18' the unitl99 is shown wherein a striker W202. and adiie 203 are shown in that unit in depending relationship to the lower surface of the head plate I6. The striker member 202 and thedie 203 are mounted in an annular, cylindrical housing 201 fitting in an opening 205 provided therefor in the head IS with its axis parallel to'the axis ofthe shaft I26. The housinn 204 is retained therein by a shoulder portion or flame-266 which engages the upper surface of the plate-516; and the bottom of the housing then lies-in'--the-p1aneof the lower surface of plate It. Assmayvbe seen, thestriker member 202 extends through an opening provided therefor in the housing 204 in such a manner that the lower end of thestriker member extends below the lower surfaceof theplate I6- and is positively held therein by a bearingr208in which the' shaft 2I0 extending upwardly from'the die 203. is journaled for rotation. The lower" surface of the die 203 lies in. the same horizontal plane as the lower surface on the strikerimem'ber 202 and is retained in such a position by. a nut 2I2 threaded on the upper end of the shaft 2I0. When the nut 2I2 is turned tightly down against an abutting surface of a hollow collar or hub 2I4 of a toothed wheel 216 surrounding and ekeyed to the shaft 2I0 above the bearing 208', the hub 2I4 is brought tightly against the upper surface of the bearing 208. The bearing 208 is fitted in an opening 2I8 provided in the housing 204 and with its lower surface resting on a shoulder portion 220 at the bottom of the opening 2| 0 and on the top of the head of the striker member 202, thus holding the latter in position. An annular washer 222 abuts the top of the bearing 200 and holds the same in position when bolts 224, projecting through a cover 226 and threading into the head I6, are tightened to hold the cover 228 in place. As will later be described, the toothed wheel 2I6 provides for intermittent rotation of the die 20! during the forming operation.

Thus, after the portion of wire 30a is cut from wire 30 and is moved into the grooves in the plungers, the radially outer end thereof is first brought by the carriage I22 into engagement with the striker 202. as seen in Fig. 14, causing the end of the wire to bend in a direction away from the direction of rotation of the carriage I22. Next, as brought out in Fig. 15, the bent end of the wire 30a, while still bent around the member I80. is brought into engagement with the die 203. It will be obsorvedthat the die 203 is provided with a plurality of substantially semicircular, equally angularly spaced flutes 230 and the bent end of the wire is brought into one of the flutes 230. The flutes 230 are of such size and shape, in conjunction with the striker 202, asto effect a comb'ined bending. and. coining action on the bent end of the wire. Such action fashions the bent end of wire 30a into a U-shaped hook, as illustrated in Fig. 15.

Now, considering the cross-sectional configuration of the wire-engaging or abutment member I on the upper surface of the plunger I48, as brought out in Figs. 14, 15, and 16, it may be observed that member I80has one side which tapers inwardly with respect to a line radial to the shaft I26 and passing through its center. As the curved end of the wire passes through the die 203, the trailing edge of the cooperating flute 230 comes into contact with the turned end of the wire, bending it toward the main portion of the wire, slightly diminishing the spacing of the open end of the U to allow for spring back of the wire after the forming operation so that the two legs of the U will be parallel to each other.

Up to this time, the wire-engaging means I80 is still in engagement with the wire 30a. However, at or about the same instant the looped end of the wire leaves the die 203, the plunger I48 moves to inoperative position, illustrated in Fig. 17, due to the co-operation between cam track I60 and springs 232. As may be seen in Fig. 11v (Sheet No. 7), the springs 282 are positioned maligned openings in the rotatable carriage I22 and the lower body of the plunger I48, and forcibly'urge the roller I54 of that plunger toward cam track I60. At this phase in the rotative movement of carriage I22 the roller I54 has come into engagement with a valley in the cam track I66 and the plunger is moved into inoperative position.

Should the springs 232 fail to operate to return the plunger I48 to inoperative position. means (Fig. 17) in the form of a roller 234 which rotatably engages a cam 236 provide for returning the plunger I46 to inoperative position. The roller 234 is mounted on one outer end of a pin 246 which supports the roller I54 in the plunger I46, and the roller 234 moves into operative engagement with a downwardly facing cam surface 238 on the cam member 236 to positively move the plunger I48 into retracted position.

When the plunger I48 is moved to inoperative position during rotation of the carriage I22. as above described, the wire engaging means I86 is, of course, retracted, leaving the formed end of the wire free. and only the plungers I56 and I52 remain in engagement wfh the wire 36a to clamp it to the carriage I22.

The partially formed wire 36a is then carried on to the forming unit 266 where its radially outer end portion. which includes the first bent portion, contacts the striker member 246 of that station, as shown in Fig. 22, and is again bent away from the direction of rotation to a position substantially perpendicular to the radially disposed unformed portion of the wire as shown. Then. as brought out in Fi 23. it is forcibly brought into engagement with a die member 248. similar to the die member 263 first described, where it enters one of the flutes 256 thereof, causing the wire to be bent in t e form of a closed oval as shown. The flutes 256 of the die 248 are like the flutes of the die 263; that is to say, substantially semicircular in form, but are slightly larger to accommodate the increased size due to the doubling of the wire. It will be observed that the cross-sectional configuration of the wire-engaging means IIll on the plunger I56 is U-shaped and the length hereof is sufficient to clear the end of the doubled wire when the same is folded closed as illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24. When the partially formed wire 36a leaves the die member 248, one of the flute edges contacts the folded wire to firmly press the previously bent end against the main bodv of the w re and prevents the wires from separating after leaving the die.

At this time, the plunger I56 is retracted by means of springs (not shown) of the same general construction and arrangement as the springs 232 for the plunger I48. In the event of failure of the springs, retraction of plunger I56 is brought about, as best shown in Figs. 17 and 25, by a roller 252 and a cam 254 having a surface 256 along which the roller 252 may roll. The roller 252 is mounted on one end of a pin 256 which provides for mounting the roller I56 in the plunger I56. Movement of the plunger I56 into inoperative position removes the wire-engaging member ill! from between the bent partially formed wire 36a, which then continues on to the next forming unit.

At forming station 26!, shown in Figs. 26, 27, and 28, the partially formed wire 36b first engages a striker member 266 where it is again bent rearwardly or opposite to the direction of rotation, about the abutment I62, to a position substantially perpendicular to the portion of the wire still held by the plunger I52 against the holding member I16, as brought out in Fig. 26. Thereafter. as brought out in Fig. 2'7, it is forcibly delivered to a die member 262. similar to the die members 263 and 246 above described,

14 having the fluted openings 264 therein. As the partially formed wire enters one of the fluted openings in the die member 262, it is given another U-bend, this time around the blade I16 which still aids in holding the wire in operative position, to complete forming of a clip 36b. This is illustrated in Figs. 27 and 28, and thereafter the plunger I52 moves to inoperative position withdrawing the blade I16 and the wire-engaging means I82 with it, freeing the finished clip 86b.

The plunger I52, similar to the plungers I46 and I56 is urged to an inoperative position by springs (not shown) or, in the event of failure of the springs, by means of a roller 265 which operatively engages a cammed surface 266 on cam 266, as brought out in Fig. 25.

Bearing in mind the operation of the rotatable dies, as described in the foregoing, it will be appreciated that means must be provided to prevent rotation of any die in excess of that required to position a flute therein for a succeeding formation operation. Any means may be used to accomplish this purpose. so long as it allows for bringing a flute of the die into co-operative alignment with the bent end of wire after it leaves a striker member so that the same may be fashioned in the die. In the present case, a detent mechanism is used.

Thus, in Figs. 19 and 26, a. plunger 216 is shown slidably positioned in an opening 212 in the cover of the forming unit I69. The outer end of the opening 212 is closed by means of a plug 214, which is held in position by a pin 216. Between the plug 214 and the plunger 216, resilient means in the form of a spring 218 is placed to urge the plunger 216 toward the toothed wheel 2I6 fixed to shaft 2) of die 263. A wheel 286 is rotatably mounted by means of a pin 282 at the outer end of the plunger 216 and enters an interdental space between the teeth on wheel 2 I6 to rollingly engage the flanks of adjacent teeth. The wheel 2l6 is provided with the same number of e ually angularly spaced teeth as there are flutes 236 in the die 263, namely four in the construction shown. as seen in Fig. 26. The wheel 2I6 is fixed on shaft 2I6 in such a manner that the flutes 236 in die 263 therebelow may be brought into meshing relationship with the bent end of the wire 36a. and the co-operating member I66, as the carriage I22 rotates, and maintained in such position by allowing rotation of die 263 to the extent of one flute space. The teeth of the wheel 2I6 are so proportioned that the wheel 266 may roll from one to a succeeding interdental space thereof and positlon the die 263 to properly receive the next bent wire and co-operating member I86. Therefore, as die 263 is rotated by the wire 36a and member I66, the roller 286 rolls from one to the succeeding interdental tooth space and there yieldingly resists further rotation of the wheel M6 and die 263. The dies of all three wire forming units I99, 266, and 26I are all similarly controlled.

As stated in the foregoing, when a clip 36?; is fully formed the same is free of all the plungers in the rotatable car-iage I22. Thereafter, due to centrifugal force. occasioned by rotation of the carriage I22. the clip 36b is thrown into a chute 296 (see Fig. 6). Three of the chutes 296 are provided, one at each forming station, and each delivers the clips thrown therein to a hopper 292. The hopper 292 has sloping sides which taper toward the center thereof and is open at its lower end for discharging the clips 15 cartons or boxes held thcrebelow on a MRI;

Imthepresent case and as brought out in Figs. 25am! 5, a carrier 294 is rotatably mounted, by meansof shaft 296. below the housing M of the base irr'oIf-center relation to head 16 and carriage-1'22. The shaft 296, as shown in Fig. 5, iaejmnmaled'for rotation in a bearing 299 and Win83! spaced from the bearing 298 by a M2 392, all of which is retained in a boss or: housing 394 interiorly of the housing I4. Agear' 395; isfixed to the upper end of the shaft 2992mm meshing with suitable driving means tocefleot rotation of the carrier 294, and a nut 39!: threaded onto the upper end of the shaft 296 may be tightened to prevent play of said shhflxxln an axial direction.

A'fabricated funnel ring indicated generally at'llill' is concentrically secured to the upper surface-of the carrier 294. The ring 319, in the particular embodiment shown, is made up of a plurality of individually formed sheet metal funnel members 3I9a secured in side-by-side relotion about the upper marginal edge of the car- Iicr'294, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Each Of- 'fllflfllllflfil members 3l9u is adapted to be moved in turn by the carrier 294 into position below the discharge opening in the hopper 292. Immediately below each funnel member 3190. on the-"carrier 294, a carton-holding member 31! is positioned. The carton-holding members 3! I, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 8, each consist of a -box-like structure formed from sheet metal. The side walls are spaced from one another by a distance slightly greater than the width of thecartons 312 which are to be received therein and the top wall is provided with a central opening which matches the discharge opening in the overlying funnel member 319a. The rear wall ofeech carton-holding member is so located that when a. carton M2 is properly positioned therein thecarton will be centered with respect to the discharge opening of the corresponding funnel mom-her. The front wall of each member 3 is bent outwardly as at 313 about its upper edge into flush relationship with respect to the top wali'thereof, leaving the front of each member Mtopento receive a carton 3l2 therein. The cartons 312 preferably are of a conventional type having: short top flaps 3M along each side and at" long front flap serving as a cover shown at 31".! by dotted lines in Fig. 5. In inserting a carton into a. member 3 the side flaps 3 are turned outwardiy 270, as indicated in Fig. 8, and the front flap turned outwardly 180 as indicated inrFig. 5, and then inserted in the member 3| I, vohisoh thus holds the flaps in this position with the top of the carton open to receive the clips delivered thereto by the corresponding funnel member 3lfla.

Movement of the carrier 294 is intermittent and timed to rotate a carton into position as soonas the preceding carton has been filled with a proper number of clips.

To-effect driving of the apparatus of the present invention. a prime mover in the form of an electriic motor M6 is preferably provided, as shown in Fig. 2. The motor 3"! may be mounted on the'fiioor of the shop on the base, or be othersuitably positioned, so as to drive a pulley 329. By' means of an endless belt 322, a second pulley 3.24 is driven from pulley 329. The pulley flflwhich, as best shown in Fig. 3, is fixed to the outer end of a main drive shaft 326, drives such shaft. The shaft 326 is journaled for rotation within a sleeve .326 and bearings 339' and 33I both of which are suitably carried by and retained in. a housing 332 within the housing i of the machine. A beveled pinion 334 is fixed to theinner end of the shaft 326 and meshes with the gear M3 to. drive shaft I26 for rotating the carriage I22.

The wire feedingmeans 26 is driven in timed relation with the rotation of the carriage 22, and although this drive mayinclude intermittent drive mechanism to stop the feed of wire at the moment it is out, because the wire is out almost instantaneously this will usually be unnecessary and is so considered here. Accordingly, the beveled gear I42 on the shaft 126 meshes at each of the wire feeding stations with a pinion 336, as may be seen in Fig. 3, driving a shaft 339. Each shaft is journaled for rotation within a. sleeve 349 having bearings 342 and 343 therefor and retained within a housing 344 positioned interiorly of the housing I4. A bevel gear 346 is fixed to the outer end of shaft 338, which is at the right as viewed in Fig. 3, and referring to-Fig. 4 it may be seen that the beveled gear 346 meshes a beveied gear 348 to drive a, shaft 359 journaled for rotation on bearings 352 and 354. The shaft 359 in turn drives shaft 44 by means of a train-of gears 3'52, 354, 356, and 356 to drive the outermost feed roller 54.

Drivin of the innermost feed roller 54 is accomplished by means of another beveled gear 369 mounted on the shaft 339 and shown in Fig. 3. The beveled gear 369 drives a beveled gear 352 mounted on a shaft (not shown) which drives a train of gears 364, 366, 368, and another gear (not shown) to drive shaft 59 for driving the innermost feed roller, in the same general manner as the roller 54 is driven.

Rotation of the tumbler 98 and thereby the w re straightening means is effected by a gear 319 (see Fig. 3) fixed to the shaft 338 and spaced thereon a short distance inwardly from the gear 346'. The ear 3'"! meshes with a gear 312 mounted on a jack shaft 314 which meshes with a gear 316 keyed to shaft 99 of the tumbler 89.

In Fig. 5, the driving connection between the main drive shaft 326 and the carrier 294 is illustrated. This includes an intermittent motion mechanism which may be of any suitable type, the type shown being illustrative of a satisfactory type. As shown in Fig. 5, a worm 378 is keyed to the shaft 326 for driving a worm wheel 389 fixed to shaft 392. A gear 384 is also keyed to the shaft 382 and this gear meshes with a gear 388 for driving a shaft 399 and thereby moving an arm 399 thereon in rotation.

The arm 399 provides a means in a manner to be next described for effecting intermittent rotation of the carrier 294. A roller 392 is rotatably mounted by means of a journal pin 394 on the extremity of am 399. As the arm 39!! rotates, the roller 392 thereon engages one of a plurality of radially extending equally angularly spaced ribs 396 upstanding from the upper face of a disc 393. The disc 399 is provided with an integral shaft 499 and as the roller 392 rolls along the surface of a co-operating rib 3 66,, rotation of the disc 3% and thereby shaft 499 is brought about so long as roller 392 remains in engagement with the rib surface. Thereafter, rotation of the shaft 499 ceases until contact is again established between the roller 392. and a succeeding rib 366. When the shaft 499 is driven in this manner, a gear 492 fixed thereto drives the carrier 294 by means of inter 

